OXYTOCIC ACTIVITY OF HUMAN FEMALE BLOOD

Abstract

Usiug the Bristol Procedure for the extraction of oxytocin from blood taken from healthy non-pregnant adult females and from women during normal pregnancy, we have found both oxytocin and oxytocic substance (O.S.) to be present in the extracts. Precautions were taken to remove the possibility that potassium, 5-hydroxytryptamine, acetyl choline and plasma kinin in the extracts might be interfering substances in the assay procedures. The extracts were assayed on the isolated sensitised rat uterus using both the supervision and classic methods. The results obtained confirm our previous observations that there is more oxytocin in the blood during pregnancy than in non-pregnancy. We also found more O.S. in the former than in the latter conditions.